Not Yet, Little Witch
by Princess976
Summary: Damon watches the life drain from Amara and mourns the life he'll never have with Bonnie.
1. Not Yet, Little Witch

**A/N: So this one-shot is about what happened when Damon realized that Amara was dead and he didn't know Tessa had finished the spell. he seemed way too upset to just be worried about how Elena was going to handle it. Just to help you set the scene, at the end of this Bonnie is left standing in front of the fire by herself like on the show before Tessa passed through to the other side. So in my head she was thinking about what happened with Damon not about Baby Gilbert. **

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Damon held Amara's lifeless body in his arms. He was not going to accept this, he couldn't. Bonnie could not be lost to him. He had thought that he had time. Time to what he thought bitterly. Time to make her see that life could be beautiful. He laughed bitterly to himself, disgusted at how much he sounded like Stefan. He didn't believe that life could be beautiful. The future he saw with Elena was riddled with death and sadness. But when he let himself dare to dream of a world where Bonnie Bennett could love him life was beautiful. He had known since the night of the 60's dance that he and Bonnie were a great team. The way they worked together effortlessly. They could anticipate each others actions and reactions. It was perfect. They were perfect but she had been dating Baby Gilbert. So he let his obsession with Elena take over him. It consumed him until he actually believed that he loved Elena. Only deep down in places that Damon didn't admit to having, his heart and soul, he knew Elena was a consolation prize. Bonnie was the dream he'd never admit to having. But now the hope that someday he and Bonnie would be together was fading. He didn't kid himself into believing that he and Elena were forever.

He knew Tessa was right when she said the universe wanted the doppelgangers together. He knew Elena thought she loved him but he knew that she didn't love him the way she loved Stefan. And even though on the surface Damon pretended that it bothered him it truly didn't. The knowledge that Elena would someday leave him for Stefan should have crushed him. It should have made him want to kill someone, anyone. But it didn't. He was strangely resigned to it. But now his future looked more bleak than it ever had because in his inner most fantasies when that happened he would be free to go to Bonnie and tell her how he felt. He realized now that, that would never happen. He knew Elena would leave him but he wouldn't get his happy ending. He didn't know why he was surprised. He was Damon Salvatore. He didn't get happy endings. He got scraps and he had to piece them together to make the semblance of a life.

Damon had always known that with Bonnie he wouldn't have to piece together anything. That with her he would be happier than he'd ever been in his whole existence. As he left Amara's body in the woods and returned to the house he pushed his grief down. He had to be strong for Elena. He had to be strong for all of them. It was his job. He had promised Ric. He would be their rock and he would handle his despair one dead body at a time. It had been a while since he'd gone on a rampage. He realized with a start that the reason he hadn't gone on any killing sprees was because he didn't want to disappoint Bonnie. They couldn't have a future if she still saw him as a homicidal psychotic. But none of that mattered anymore. Bonnie was lost to him and he couldn't see a way out of his pain.

He entered the boarding house and no one was in the study. He strode across the room and poured a drink. He was going to need one if he was going to get Elena through this. He heard laughter coming from be kitchen and he stopped the glass halfway to his lips. What was there to laugh about? Bonnie was gone! What could there be to laugh about? He headed toward the sound and sitting on a stool in his kitchen eating cold Chinese food was Bonnie Bennett. Damon staggered slightly. He was in shock. Bonnie turned then and bestowed him with a brilliant smile. She leaped off her stool and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. He suspected that Elena, Caroline and Jeremy were looking at the two of them but he didn't care. He and Bonnie shared a bond that none of them could begin to understand. It warmed his heart to know that Bonnie knew it to. She pulled away from him and smiled shyly. He smirked and left the friends to their reunion. He stood in front of the fire contemplating all the thoughts he'd had in the woods. The murderous rampage was off but the prize of having Bonnie back made up for any pleasure he would have found in mass murder. He heard footsteps behind him and assumed Elena had come to join him. He was surprised when Bonnie spoke.

"Thank you." Bonnie said her voice a whisper.

"No thanks necessary. I didn't do anything." Damon said uncharacteristically modest.

" You wouldn't give up. Even when I thought it was hopeless. But then again you always manage to get things done." Bonnie said with a small smile.

"This wasn't just some routine thing, Bonnie. This was the most important thing I've ever been apart of. I had to save you." Damon said softly.

"Why?" she asked as she stepped closer to him. He looked down at her and he couldn't believe she was actually standing there. He caressed her face just to be sure. Bonnie closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Her eyes sprang open when she realized what she was doing, what he was doing. She stepped away from Damon with a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry Bonnie. I just can't believe you're really here and I can see you. I won't touch you again." Damon said sincerely. Bonnie wasn't sure what was happening. She didn't know why she had the uncontrollable urge to be in Damon's arms the moment she saw him. She didn't know why she had followed him into the study or why him touching her had felt so right. She was with Jeremy and he was with Elena, none of her feelings made any sense. Damon watched the emotions flicker across Bonnie's face. He watched her step toward him. He looked into her mossy colored eyes and wondered what she was thinking. Damon sighed and leaned down and kissed her. She started and then wound her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss. He pulled away from her after several long passion filled minutes. He placed his forehead against hers and softly whispered.

"Not yet little witch but someday we are going to have everything we ever wanted." Damon left Bonnie standing in front of the fire contemplating the future they were destined to have together.


	2. Right Behind You, Little Witch

**A/N: So a few people said they wanted to know what happened next. So I've decided to write this in one shots. Each chapter is individual that stands on its own but they all will interconnect. So enjoy!**

**REVIEWS=LOVE (REALLY THEY DO! LIKE REAL SOUL AFFIRMING LOVE!)**

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It had been a couple weeks since Bonnie had been resurrected. She was doing OK but she still hadn't gotten used to being the Anchor. It was jarring every time a supernatural being passed through her. But so far she had avoided anyone knowing about it even Jeremy. She was happy to be at Whitmore College, it made her feel close to her grams. When Bonnie was a little girl her grams used to take Bonnie to the campus with her and she would sit in on her classes and play in the quad. They were all good memories and she needed them when faced with an eternity of being the Anchor. She didn't complain, she never did she just dealt with her problems as they came and didn't burden anyone else. That was why she hadn't told anyone about the side effect of being the Anchor. She didn't want to seem ungrateful. And if she was honest with herself that wasn't what she had been thinking about anyway. She was thinking about Damon and that kiss they had shared and his cryptic words after. She didn't know why she had responded to him that way. She loved Jeremy. She knew she did, so why was there a piece of her that hoped Damon was right. She hadn't asked him and not because she was avoiding him but because she'd been busy. Plus he was busy trying to fix Stefan. Bonnie felt helpless when it came to Stefan. He had always been there for her and it was frustrating to her that she couldn't help. And not to mention the fact that her magic was gone. She hadn't tried any spells but she didn't feel like a witch anymore. Missing magic was another thing she didn't talk about. She didn't want to seem unappreciative but she missed her powers. She understood that she had broken so many rules and upset the balance one to many times but she had learned her lesson. But it didn't matter her powers were gone and she wasn't going to cry about something she couldn't change. She was going to concentrate on all the good things. Like being alive and having her friends and having Jeremy.

Because Bonnie was avoiding Damon she didn't know that he'd been avoiding her as well. He wasn't ready to answer the questions he knew she would ask. So he just immersed himself in helping Stefan get through his PTSD. It had been left to him and Katherine because Elena and Caroline were wrapped up in college and Bonnie being back. It was a little disconcerting that Katherine was being helpful but he figured that being human had changed her. Possibly for the better but that remained to be seen. After a particularly trying day where Damon had to pry Stefan's fingers from around Katherine's neck he announced that they needed a witch and he'd be back. Damon drove straight to Whitmore College. He figured it was time to stop ignoring the most powerful witch he knew. He found her sitting under a tree.

"Hey Bon." Damon said lightly. He was hoping to avoid all the awkward that he was positive was supposed to come with this encounter. Bonnie was shocked to see Damon standing over her. She didn't know what he wanted but she wasn't exactly ready for all the emotions that bubbled to the surface upon seeing him. She decided to play it as cool as he apparently was.

"Hi, Damon." she said. She was proud that her voice didn't betray any of the emotions that she was feeling. "What are you doing here? Going back to college?"

Damon smirked and was thankful that Bonnie wasn't going to make a big deal out of something that he wasn't ready to talk about.  
"No, but the person I'm in desperate need of finding is here at this questionable institution of higher learning." Damon said with a quirk of his eyebrows. Bonnie would never admit it but her heart sank when she realized he wasn't looking for her.

"Elena's in class but feel free to wait for her in our room. Just keep it clean. Caroline and I do live there." Bonnie said teasingly she wasn't going to let him know her feelings were hurt.

"What? I'm not looking for Elena. I'm looking for you. I came for you, I need your help." Damon said marveling in how right those words felt coming out of his mouth. He registered the surprise on her face and pushed on with his reason for coming to drag her away. "Stefan isn't getting any better and short of taking him to New Orleans to get him compelled by a freaking Original I'm out of options and then I thought of you. My favorite back from the dead witch." He noticed sadness flicker across her eyes but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"You wasted a trip. I'm not a witch anymore. I'm just the Anchor to the other side. No witchy juju. I can't help as much as I'd like to." Bonnie said with a sad smile. Damon was confused. No one had told him that she didn't have her powers.

"What are you talking about? Why hasn't anyone mentioned it? Why didn't you mention it?" Damon asked understanding her momentary sadness.  
Bonnie took a deep breath. "Elena, Caroline, and Jeremy know already. Why would they mention it? " Bonnie watched his face for any sign of anything but she realized he probably wouldn't give anything away he'd had over a hundred years to perfect hiding his emotions.

"Oh I don't know Bonnie maybe we could have been looking for a way to get your magic back. I'm thinking there's nothing we can't do, we got you back from the dead."

"No. There is no way. I broke to many rules and technically I'm not alive. Magic is for the living which is why my mother couldn't be both. I'm fine with it. Don't worry about it."

Damon knew that she wasn't OK with not having her powers. It was too much of who she was and he knew it made her miserable whether she admitted it or not. He wasn't ready to let her off the hook. He wanted to talk about it. He opened his mouth to say something else but he noticed she wasn't listening to him. She was staring behind him, he turned but didn't see anyone. He turned back and she was getting to her feet. "I have to get to class. I'm sorry I can't help you with Stefan I really wish I could." Bonnie said as she gathered her things and hurried off. Damon wasn't finished talking to her and he found her in a deserted area of the campus doubled over in pain. He rushed to her side panic trying to set in.

"Bonnie, what's wrong?" he asked as he steadied her.

"Nothing. It's under control. I can handle it." Bonnie said with a grimace of pain as she stood up. Damon looked at her incredulously.

"Excuse me if I don't believe you. The last time you thought you could handle something you wound up dead! So tell me what is going on?" Damon demanded and she knew it would be easier to tell him than to fight with him. She also recognized that Damon was probably the best person to confide in. He wouldn't begin to mother her or look at her with sympathetic eyes. She didn't need that right then.

"I'm the Anchor, Damon. Every supernatural being that dies passes through me to the other side. I feel their pain as they pass. I'm dealing with it. It's a small price to pay to be in the land of the living." Bonnie said with as little emotion as possible. Damon didn't speak. He just pulled Bonnie into his arms and hugged her. He didn't know how he knew that what she needed was a hug but he knew. She responded to his embrace immediately and he held her closer. He could feel her trembling and he just held her and stroked her hair.

"That sucks, Bon!" Damon said after she pulled away and wiped her eyes. Bonnie chuckled because he was right it did suck but it was such an underwhelming thing for Damon to say it brought a smile to her face. "But are you sure about the magic? I mean other witches can do magic from the other side why can't you? Especially since you're a descendent of Crazy, I mean Tessa." Damon asked his brow furrowed as he thought deeply.

"I told you Damon magic is for the living. I'm somewhere in the middle." Bonnie needed him to understand that he couldn't fix everything. He stepped closer to her and put his hand over her heart. When he touched her her heart started to race and her entire body became flushed with heat.

"You feel alive to me. I can feel your heart racing under my hand and I can hear your blood rushing through your veins. So no Bonnie you are not somewhere in the middle you are very much alive. So tell me little witch why don't you have your magic?" Bonnie took a step back from him the intensity she could feel radiating from him was making it hard for her to focus. She shook her head slightly before she answered.

"Ok maybe I am alive but the last time I was alive I abused my powers. I helped vampires. I brought Jeremy back from the dead twice. And let's not forget desiccating Klaus and the body switching with him and Tyler. Oh yeah and my favorite the Expression. I crossed too many lines I upset the balance too many times. This is my punishment. I've accepted it, you should to. I'm sorry. You should go find a real witch to help with Stefan."

She gathered her things and walked away. Damon watched her go. He knew he wasn't going to stop until Bonnie had her powers back and if not hers then somebody else's. Damon wasn't convinced that her powers were gone. He knew that while she was on the other side she had watched the witches torture her beloved grams. He was a first hand witness to the power of the dead witches in the witch house. Bonnie was selling herself short. He knew it and he just had to convince her to let him try to help her.

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Weeks later Damon and Bonnie hadn't talked to each other. It wasn't because they were avoiding each other. Well Damon wasn't avoiding Bonnie but she had been avoiding him like the plague. He had been out of town, New Orleans actually. He took Stefan to visit Rebekah but for some reason she was less than cooperative. Leaving with no alternative than to ask Klaus for help. To Damon and Stefan's surprise Klaus was more than happy to help. Damon didn't care why he was a kinder gentler Klaus he just wanted him to help. Of course he wanted a favor to be called upon in the future from Stefan and Damon. The brothers agreed and Klaus compelled Stefan to let go of the pain of his imprisonment. After the compulsion Damon could see the cloud lift from Stefan's eyes. He was grateful to Klaus more grateful than he could ever tell him but since he had his brother back he had other things to attend to like getting Bonnie's witchy juju back. Klaus had a line on a witch who could answer his questions. Stefan was more than willing to help Damon help Bonnie. When they arrived to the dilapidated old house that Klaus had directed them to they shared an uneasy look. It would be just like Klaus to help them then lead them to their demise. When they reached the door step they paused not sure whether they would be able to enter. Damon took a tentative step and Stefan followed. They followed the scent and heartbeat of the only living person in the house. Located at the back of the house was a frail old woman. She smiled a toothless smile at the Salvatore brothers and beckoned them forward. They took a tentative step forward very cautious and alert. Her voice was surprisingly strong when she spoke.

"Damon and Stefan Salvatore, you are here about the Bennett witch." she didn't pose it as a question just a statement. Before either brother could speak she spoke again. "She is having trouble with her powers now that she is the Anchor." Stefan and Damon shared another look as they both realized that again she wasn't asking. They waited patiently assuming that Klaus had told her why they were coming. "She struggles with the passing's to the other side." Stefan's brow furrowed and he glanced at Damon who nodded slightly. Damon hadn't told anyone about that little tidbit that Bonnie had shared with him. He was confused at how this old woman knew. "You wish to help her but that is beyond you." Damon grew angry and flashed across the room but before he could touch her he was on his knees screaming in pain. Stefan rushed to Damon's side and looked at the old witch with pleading eyes. She stopped the aneurysm and smiled again. "That will teach him to attack before a person is finished." She watched as Damon got to his feet. When he was standing she continued as if nothing had happened. "When the young Bennett witch died she had great power. Few could rival her. Her potential is limitless that is why Silas used her. Her power is far greater than she imagined. Now that she is the Anchor she can draw power from the side she is holding fast."

"I don't understand." Stefan said for both himself and his brother. "I thought that magic came from nature and when it didn't it was forbidden"

The old lady nodded. "You must understand that for your friend the rules are different. She is a Bennett a direct descendant of Qetsiyah magic is different for her. Now she must harness her power from the other side. There is much power at her disposal and it is not contingent on nature. She must call on the powers from the other side. For too long have the witches there been able to torment the living and the undead. Their time has passed and magic is for the living. It is up to Bonnie to restore the balance."

"Bonnie thinks her not being able to do magic is punishment for abusing her powers. How can I...we convince her otherwise?" Damon asked. "She's the most stubborn person I've ever met."

"You must convince her. She is the only one who can do it." the old lady said adamantly. Damon became suspicious of the old ladies motives.

"Why are you so concerned with Bonnie getting her witchy juju back?"

The old lady smiled her toothless smile once again. "You need not protect her from me, Damon. The balance of power in the living world is wrong, as long as Bonnie doesn't have her powers. While her power is unused it can be tapped by others. This is unsafe." Stefan wrinkled his brow.

"Unsafe? How? We aren't putting Bonnie in danger again."

"The power is not dangerous for a Bennett. Many witches are drawing from this power. Alive and dead." she shook her head sadly. "The witches on the other side weren't loaning her their powers when she was granted the power of 1000. They were granting her access to a fraction of what is already hers. Bonnie is magic's representative on this plane. She is entitled to this power and she must take it."

Damon still had a lot of questions. "But when Bonnie gained that power it was a spell in her grimoire. Any witch could do it so explain what you mean."

"That spell is to borrow power. Bonnie doesn't need to borrow. The power is hers, witches on the other side are supposed to act as a guardian of the power. Somehow they found that they could use it and they convinced Bonnie that she was not as powerful as them. This is a lie. The power belongs to her and as a Bennett witch she just has to take it."

"Why did Shelia force Bonnie to limit her power. As a Bennett witch she had to know Bonnie's potential, why did she doom her before she started?" Stefan asked.

"Shelia Bennett had every intention of telling Bonnie her full potential. She died before she had a chance. There is a reason that Shelia has no power on the other side. It is because she knows that her time to do magic is over. Emily made an exception to awaken Bonnie's power. She had not used the power before nor has she used it since." the ancient witch said.

"That's a nice story about Shelia. Involving Bonnie's dead grandmother is a classy way to go." Damon said with a sneer. He was growing impatient. The old woman had said many times that the power was hers for the taking but she never said how. That led Damon to believe that all of that was a lie and she was after Bonnie for something. The old witch rose from her seat and crossed to a locked cabinet and pulled a letter out and handed it to Damon. He looked down at it and saw it was addressed to Bonnie. "What's this? Damon asked turning the letter over in his hands."

"A message to Bonnie from Shelia." she said simply.

"How and why do you have it?" Damon asked with suspicion creeping into his voice.

"Shelia left it with me the last time I saw her. It was right after Stefan returned to Mystic Falls. She knew you weren't far behind and there were many things she had to tell Bonnie the most important of which she put in that letter." the witch said. "I do not expect Bonnie to believe the words of a stranger but she will believe her grandmother."

Damon put the letter in his pocket. He and Stefan left the old house with a brief thank you to the witch. Stefan could see that Damon was deep in thought and didn't want to interrupt but he had things to say.

"Damon, I need to say somethings to you. Promise me you'll listen before you speak." Damon nodded slightly without taking his eyes from the two lane blacktop. "Thank you. I know how hard you worked to help me. I know you're sorry that you didn't notice I was missing. I'm not going to say it's OK but I understand." Stefan could see Damon about to interrupt. He held up his hand and Damon closed his mouth and quirked an eyebrow at his little brother. "I'm angry Damon but not so much that I'm going to act like we're not brothers. We are and we are all that we have. Inside that safe all I could hope for was that the two people I care about most in the world would come and save me. When you didn't it devastated me. But I forgive you because I love you you're my brother. I'm never going to say that what you did was OK, but I can't keep holding on to that. I know that if you'd known you would have searched for me and I have to hold on to that." Stefan finished before looking out of the window. Damon glanced at his baby brother for a minute before he looked back at the road.

"Stefan, I don't deserve your forgiveness. I should have known. Silas didn't try that hard to be you. I was so wrapped up in Elena that I didn't notice. You're right. It's not OK it's never going to be OK. How can it be? I abandoned you, again. Every time I get the opportunity to make things right with you I mess it up. And here you are telling me you understand. I don't want you to think I take your forgiveness and understanding lightly. I don't. I can't thank you enough for letting me try to help you but it's the least I could do."

"Damon I don't want to spend eternity accepting your apology. I forgive you let's move past this. You have to forgive yourself. Besides wallowing in guilt is my thing." Stefan said with a quirk of his lips. Damon smirked in response to Stefan's joke. He was glad that he and Stefan could get past all the bullshit that he had put him through in the last few months. Damon relaxed against his seat and thought about what he was going to say to Bonnie.

Stefan saw the look on Damon's face and wondered what he was thinking about. "What are you thinking about?"

Damon glanced at Stefan again. "Oh so we're going to be brothers who share. Ok, if you must know I was thinking about Bonnie. What I am going to say when we get back."

"Why do you have to say anything? Just give her that letter and be there for her after she reads it. She will probably have questions that you can answer or maybe she will just want to cry be there for that to." Damon looked at his brother quizzically and quirked his eyebrows.

"Isn't Jeremy the one she should be crying on? He is her boyfriend after all." calling Jeremy Gilbert Bonnie's boyfriend left a sour taste in his mouth but he ignored it.

"Jeremy doesn't even know that Bonnie misses her magic. He thinks she's ok with not having it. So I doubt she told him you were looking for ways to get it back." Stefan said matter-of-factly.

"It would be hard for her to tell Jeremy or anyone else because she doesn't know. I didn't want to get her hopes up and then not be able to deliver. So not only do I have to tell her I went behind her back to get her magic back I come bearing a letter from her dead grandmother. I think that will go over well, what do you think?" Damon asked with a grimace.

"I think you should be glad Bonnie doesn't think she has magic because that would be an aneurysm for sure." Stefan said with a laugh. Damon rolled his eyes as they crossed Wyckery Bridge. He dropped Stefan off at the boarding house and headed to Whitmore College. He found Bonnie sitting under the same tree as a few weeks ago. He sauntered up to her and sat next to her leaning against the tree legs straight out in front of him crossed at the ankles.

"Hey Bon." Damon said. He hadn't looked at her he just rested his head against the tree trunk eyes closed.

"Damon what do you want?" Bonnie asked. She hoped she kept the hitch from her voice. She tried not to admire Damon's frame as he lounged next to her but he was sexy. He opened his eyes and made eye contact with her and watched her blush and look away. He smirked but decided not to mention it.

"I have good news!" Damon said with a smile.

"Oh OK. What is it?" Bonnie tried not to return his smile but it was no use.

"I fixed Stefan. Well Klaus did but who's keeping track. The PTSD is gone and Stefan is back to his normal broody self. I'm extremely proud of myself. Feel free to pat me on the back." Bonnie laughed out loud because she knew how happy he was about Stefan but she also knew his inflated ego really did want all the glory and he was only partially kidding about wanting a pat on the back.

"I'm really happy for Stefan. I'm a little worried about asking Klaus. We just got rid of him. And now you both owe him." Bonnie said with concern marring her features.

"I'm not worried. He seemed different. Hopefully it'll be a long time before either Stefan or I will have to repay him. So while I was there Stefan and I saw a witch about you." Damon told her with a look trepidation in his eyes.

"Why? I told you to leave it alone. My magic is gone and I need to come to terms with it. Stop trying to fix everything. You can't fix everything!" Bonnie said angrily.

Damon quirked his eyebrows at Bonnie. "History would say different. And I'm talking recent history. I brought you back from the dead and managed to cure Stefan of a debilitating case of PTSD. I think fixing everything is exactly what I can do!"

"Qetsiyah brought me back and Klaus compelled Stefan. You didn't actually do anything." Bonnie pointed out.

"I don't have time to argue semantics with you. Just hear me out. If when I'm done you don't want to try what I found out I'll let it go. I promise." Damon said a sincere look filling his ice blue eyes. Against her better judgment Bonnie nodded her head and allowed him to tell her what he and Stefan discovered. When he finished he handed her the letter from her grandmother. She took it gingerly. She looked at the familiar handwriting scrolled across the front. Bonnie ran her fingers over the words as tears welled in her eyes. Bonnie slid the letter out of the envelop and the tears she had been holding in coursed down her cheeks.

_My dearest Bonnie,__  
__If you are reading this then I'm dead. I won't say don't cry for me but know that I'm alright. I am with our ancestors in peace. There is so much I wanted to tell you. So much you have to learn and I fear that with me gone you will not have proper guidance. I wish I could count on your mother but she made her choice. She did a spell to save Elena knowing that it would take her from you. I'm so sorry I wish she had chosen differently but we can't change the past only the future._

_ And your future is bright sweetheart. There are things about your powers that I didn't tell you. I didn't want to scare you or overwhelm you. I taught you magic through nature because it is important to know where most witches draw their power. But you my dear do not need to draw power from nature. You can do so and it will serve you well. But if you ever need more it is within your grasp. As a Bennett witch and a descendant of __Qetsiyah__ you have power from a place other than nature. She created the other side where all supernatural beings go when they die and in doing so she created a power source greater than she could have imagined._

_ You must claim the power Bonnie. It is yours but you can't abuse it. It is a great responsibility that I know you will use to do only good things. There is an old house in Mystic Falls in the woods 1000 witches guard it and they guard the power. You must go there and claim what is yours by birth. I am so sorry that I am not there for you. To help you but I know you have surrounded yourself with people who care about you and love you. Lean on them let them help. All of them even Damon Salvatore. He is charged with guarding and protecting all Bennett witches. It is a __responsibility__ he takes seriously do not punish him for what he is but challenge him to be better than himself. I love you very much and know that I miss you so much. But I am always close by in your heart where you carry me forever.__  
__G__rams_

Bonnie couldn't believe what she was had read. All this time she had been struggling to save her friends with limited magic and it wasn't necessary. She cried for all the people she may have been able to save. Jenna, Alaric, her parents maybe Elena wouldn't be a vampire or Tyler wouldn't be a hybrid. So many things she could have prevented if only she'd known. But she recognized that she wasn't ready for that kind of power before now. Before she would have abused it in the name of her friends. But Bonnie accepted that this power was a gift and she was going to treat it as such. She stood to her feet and strode across the campus. She turned back to look at Damon.

"Are you coming?" she asked with a radiant smile

"Right behind you, little witch." Damon said as he followed Bonnie toward her destiny.


	3. Thank You, Little Witch

Damon and Bonnie set off across Whitmore College towards Damon's Camero. Bonnie was excited and a little afraid of what was going to happen and what it would mean for her. As they were walking there and was calling them names.

"Damon, Bonnie, wait." Elena Gilbert called out as she rushed across the quad toward the pair. Bonnie turn to wait for her best friend.

"Hi, Elena." Bonnie said with a smile.

"Hi guys. Where are you going?" Elena ask coming to a stop in front of them.

"I'm going to class. Damon was coming to find you because he has some good news. I'll see you later." Bonnie said before she walked away.

"You have good news?" Elena asked stepping closer to Damon.

"Yeah, I fixed Stefan." Damon said with a smile.

"That's great. Rebekah compelled him? I'm so glad." Elena said. She was a very supportive of the plan to take Stefan to New Orleans. She was glad to finally be rid of the Original family. But Elena knew the Rebekah and a soft spot for Stefan, and she would gladly help him.

"Rebekah was busy being a bitch and she wouldn't help. Klaus is the one who compelled Stefan." Damon inform her. Elena stepped away from Damon shocked.

"What? Why would you do that? He can't be trusted. We finally got rid of Klaus and now Stefan owes him." Elena said angrily.

"Actually we both owe him." Damon shrugged.

"You both owe him? Damon, what were you thinking? Why would you agree to owe Klaus anything?" Elena scolded. Damon looked Elena with scorn.

"What was I thinking? I was thinking that I would do anything to fix Stefan. Including owing Klaus a favor that he may not call in a hundred years. Stefan is the most important person in my life. I owe him; it was Stefan who went to Klaus on my behalf. He was willing to sacrifice and become the ripper to save me. He suffered in a safe to three months while we pretended and no one else existed. So excuse me if I don't feel like owing Klaus is a big price to pay." Damon said angry. He can believe that Elena was upset about Stefan being better.

"Damon, I'm sorry. I just think it could have found another way." Elena said snidely. Damon's eyebrows rose high on his forehead

"Well I'm sorry Elena. I only wanted Stefan to be well. I'm sorry my methods don't meet up with your exceedingly high standards. But since you couldn't be bothered to offer any suggestions you don't get to criticize my solution." Damon said was an air of slightly veiled hostility.

"Damon, why are you so upset?" Elena whined and pouted slightly.

"I'm upset because it seems to me that all your concern for Stefan wasn't a real. But you didn't feel remorse for what we did last summer. I came to Whitmore to tell you that Stefan was cured of his debilitating case of PTSD an offer to take you to dinner to celebrate; but forget it. I want a celebrate with someone who is in excited about Stefan been better."

"Damon, that's not what I'm saying. I am glad that Stefan is better. I just don't think that Klaus was the best option." Elena said again.

"Klaus was the only option was Rebekah being less than helpful. And all open your mouth and suggest Elijah. He was nowhere to be found and I wasn't going to hunt down when I Klaus in front of me offering to help. It wasn't your call and I probably wouldn't have listened if it was." Damon couldn't believe how far apart the two of them were at the moment. He had thought that Elena would understand. He thought that she would get why he would do anything for Stefan. He knew she would be concerned about owing Klaus but he had sincerely thought that she would just be happy they had Stefan back. "Why are you so upset? You're not the doppelganger anymore. He can't use your blood. You're not the missing ingredient for his pack the loyal mutts. What exactly is your problem?" Damon asked with an edge to his voice.

"I don't trust Klaus. I never will. And I will never understand why you made the choice to believe him." Elena said a frown clouding her face.

"Because he's my little brother. And there's nothing I wouldn't do to save him. And if you can't comprehend that that you're not the Elena I fell in love with." Damon said sadly as he walked away. Elena watched him go, sure of what had just happened. It felt like a huge shift had been forced into the relationship but she didn't know how to fix it or what it even meant. She was going to allow Damon a few days to cool off then to go to the boarding house to fix things.

Damon slid into the driver's seat of his Camero beside Bonnie. She looked at his face as she knew of the conversation hadn't gone well.

"Is everything OK?" Bonnie asked concerned.

"No Bonnie everything is not OK." Damon sneered at her. Bonnie was taken by surprise. Damon hadn't been rude to her since well she can remember the last time. She decided not to lash out of him and try to be a friend to him instead.

"Ok. So what's wrong? Did you have a fight with Elena?" Bonnie asked patiently. Damon was shocked. He expected Bonnie to fight with him. He could always count on his little which to distract them was an argument, but it looked as if today Bonnie wasn't taken the bait. Damon stayed silent hoping to irritate her into an argument so that he didn't have to think about what happened with Elena. When Bonnie stayed silent he knew she was trying to wait him out and he figured she probably could.

"Bonnie, I don't really want talk about it. I don't even know what happened exactly. All I know is that told her about Stefan and the only thing she can manage to muster up was disappointment that Klaus was the one who did the compelling. I tried to explain to her that owing Klaus a favor was trivial to me. Stefan's state of mind was at stake. Elena asked me if there was another option and I told her no but that wasn't the truth. I had to decide." Damon said to her.

"Damon, if there was another option that didn't involve Klaus, you should have considered it. We have no idea what he may want later." Bonnie said surprise the Damon would choose Klaus.

"No Bonnie in this case, Klaus was the lesser of two evils period but as the only other way for Stefan's PTSD to go away was for Stefan to flip the switch." Damon told her, his face glum. Bonnie inhaled sharply. She hadn't realized the situation was a dire.

"Had he considered it? Flipping the switch, I mean." Bonnie asked him her voice for sympathy.

"Yeah, he thought about a lot actually. I have Katherine to think for keeping him from jumping off the ledge." Damon said truthfully.

"Katherine? Katherine Pierce?" Bonnie asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I know what a shock but she's helped Stefan more than I'll probably know. Believe it or not I'm thankful to her. I owe her which is not something I'm happy about." Damon said with a shrug.

"Did you explain to Elena that it was Klaus or the return of the Ripper?" Bonnie can believe that her best friend would be OK with Stephen becoming the Ripper again

"No, but that's not the point. She should've trusted that I had exhausted all other avenues before I went to Klaus. Being concerned about what he could want later is one thing. Reprimanding me like I'm a child because she didn't like the course of action is another. Bonnie, something had to be done. Stefan's the was hanging on by damn thread. An opportunity presented itself and I wasn't about to pass it up." Damon said unapologetically. Bonnie understood what Damon had done. If and when Klaus came to collect his favor she'd be there to help the Salvatore brothers. She nodded her head in agreement.

"I agree with you. Ripper Stefan was never an option. You made the right choice." Bonnie said lightly touching his arm.

"Thank you, little witch." Damon said with a glance and Bonnie of the start of the car and headed toward Mystic Falls.

Damon and Bonnie set off across Whitmore College towards Damon's Camero. Bonnie was excited and a little afraid of what was going to happen and what it would mean for her. As they were walking there and was calling them names.

"Damon, Bonnie, wait." Elena Gilbert called out as she rushed across the quad toward the pair. Bonnie turn to wait for her best friend.

"Hi, Elena." Bonnie said with a smile.

"Hi guys. Where are you going?" Elena ask coming to a stop in front of them.

"I'm going to class. Damon was coming to find you because he has some good news. I'll see you later." Bonnie said before she walked away.

"You have good news?" Elena asked stepping closer to Damon.

"Yeah, I fixed Stefan." Damon said with a smile.

"That's great. Rebekah compelled him? I'm so glad." Elena said. She was a very supportive of the plan to take Stefan to New Orleans. She was glad to finally be rid of the Original family. But Elena knew the Rebekah and a soft spot for Stefan, and she would gladly help him.

"Rebekah was busy being a bitch and she wouldn't help. Klaus is the one who compelled Stefan." Damon inform her. Elena stepped away from Damon shocked.

"What? Why would you do that? He can't be trusted. We finally got rid of Klaus and now Stefan owes him." Elena said angrily.

"Actually we both owe him." Damon shrugged.

"You both owe him? Damon, what were you thinking? Why would you agree to owe Klaus anything?" Elena scolded. Damon looked Elena with scorn.

"What was I thinking? I was thinking that I would do anything to fix Stefan. Including owing Klaus a favor that he may not call in a hundred years. Stefan is the most important person in my life. I owe him; it was Stefan who went to Klaus on my behalf. He was willing to sacrifice and become the ripper to save me. He suffered in a safe to three months while we pretended and no one else existed. So excuse me if I don't feel like owing Klaus is a big price to pay." Damon said angry. He can believe that Elena was upset about Stefan being better.

"Damon, I'm sorry. I just think it could have found another way." Elena said snidely. Damon's eyebrows rose high on his forehead

"Well I'm sorry Elena. I only wanted Stefan to be well. I'm sorry my methods don't meet up with your exceedingly high standards. But since you couldn't be bothered to offer any suggestions you don't get to criticize my solution." Damon said was an air of slightly veiled hostility.

"Damon, why are you so upset?" Elena whined and pouted slightly.

"I'm upset because it seems to me that all your concern for Stefan wasn't a real. But you didn't feel remorse for what we did last summer. I came to Whitmore to tell you that Stefan was cured of his debilitating case of PTSD an offer to take you to dinner to celebrate; but forget it. I want a celebrate with someone who is in excited about Stefan been better."

"Damon, that's not what I'm saying. I am glad that Stefan is better. I just don't think that Klaus was the best option." Elena said again.

"Klaus was the only option was Rebekah being less than helpful. And all open your mouth and suggest Elijah. He was nowhere to be found and I wasn't going to hunt down when I Klaus in front of me offering to help. It wasn't your call and I probably wouldn't have listened if it was." Damon couldn't believe how far apart the two of them were at the moment. He had thought that Elena would understand. He thought that she would get why he would do anything for Stefan. He knew she would be concerned about owing Klaus but he had sincerely thought that she would just be happy they had Stefan back. "Why are you so upset? You're not the doppelganger anymore. He can't use your blood. You're not the missing ingredient for his pack the loyal mutts. What exactly is your problem?" Damon asked with an edge to his voice.

"I don't trust Klaus. I never will. And I will never understand why you made the choice to believe him." Elena said a frown clouding her face.

"Because he's my little brother. And there's nothing I wouldn't do to save him. And if you can't comprehend that that you're not the Elena I fell in love with." Damon said sadly as he walked away. Elena watched him go, sure of what had just happened. It felt like a huge shift had been forced into the relationship but she didn't know how to fix it or what it even meant. She was going to allow Damon a few days to cool off then to go to the boarding house to fix things.

Damon slid into the driver's seat of his Camero beside Bonnie. She looked at his face as she knew of the conversation hadn't gone well.

"Is everything OK?" Bonnie asked concerned.

"No Bonnie everything is not OK." Damon sneered at her. Bonnie was taken by surprise. Damon hadn't been rude to her since well she can remember the last time. She decided not to lash out of him and try to be a friend to him instead.

"Ok. So what's wrong? Did you have a fight with Elena?" Bonnie asked patiently. Damon was shocked. He expected Bonnie to fight with him. He could always count on his little which to distract them was an argument, but it looked as if today Bonnie wasn't taken the bait. Damon stayed silent hoping to irritate her into an argument so that he didn't have to think about what happened with Elena. When Bonnie stayed silent he knew she was trying to wait him out and he figured she probably could.

"Bonnie, I don't really want talk about it. I don't even know what happened exactly. All I know is that told her about Stefan and the only thing she can manage to muster up was disappointment that Klaus was the one who did the compelling. I tried to explain to her that owing Klaus a favor was trivial to me. Stefan's state of mind was at stake. Elena asked me if there was another option and I told her no but that wasn't the truth. I had to decide." Damon said to her.

"Damon, if there was another option that didn't involve Klaus, you should have considered it. We have no idea what he may want later." Bonnie said surprise the Damon would choose Klaus.

"No Bonnie in this case, Klaus was the lesser of two evils period but as the only other way for Stefan's PTSD to go away was for Stefan to flip the switch." Damon told her, his face glum. Bonnie inhaled sharply. She hadn't realized the situation was a dire.

"Had he considered it? Flipping the switch, I mean." Bonnie asked him her voice for sympathy.

"Yeah, he thought about a lot actually. I have Katherine to think for keeping him from jumping off the ledge." Damon said truthfully.

"Katherine? Katherine Pierce?" Bonnie asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I know what a shock but she's helped Stefan more than I'll probably know. Believe it or not I'm thankful to her. I owe her which is not something I'm happy about." Damon said with a shrug.

"Did you explain to Elena that it was Klaus or the return of the Ripper?" Bonnie can believe that her best friend would be OK with Stephen becoming the Ripper again

"No, but that's not the point. She should've trusted that I had exhausted all other avenues before I went to Klaus. Being concerned about what he could want later is one thing. Reprimanding me like I'm a child because she didn't like the course of action is another. Bonnie, something had to be done. Stefan's the was hanging on by damn thread. An opportunity presented itself and I wasn't about to pass it up." Damon said unapologetically. Bonnie understood what Damon had done. If and when Klaus came to collect his favor she'd be there to help the Salvatore brothers. She nodded her head in agreement.

"I agree with you. Ripper Stefan was never an option. You made the right choice." Bonnie said lightly touching his arm.

"Thank you, little witch." Damon said with a glance and Bonnie of the start of the car and headed toward Mystic Falls.


End file.
